Paul Dawson LB TCU #47
Wt: 235
Size/Athleticism: Undersized but appears to have the athleticism to make up for it on film. Combine performance was horrendous—but probably had more to do with lack of preparation than an actual lack of athleticism.
Run Defense: Extremely aggressive downhill run defender. Can get blown off his spot if a lineman can get his hands on him—but that’s a big if. Extremely quick with elite change-of-direction ability. Explodes through tight spaces and knows how to make himself small to fly into the backfield. Plays out of control at times and does a lot of freelancing—it leads to some big plays but also some bad misses.
Pass Rush: Exceptional closing speed. Dangerous speed on the edge. Lacks the strength to take on offensive linemen, especially once fully engaged. Not typically used on the edge, limiting his production but he has the tools to be effective when he catches the offensive line off-guard.
Coverage: Overaggressive in run defense which draws him out of position easy on play action. Plays downhill and gets draw up easily, often letting his assignment get behind him when minimal effort and forcing him to turn his back on the quarterback and chase his man. Awareness is lacking and it shows up in zone on crossing routes when he should pass off a receiver, but is slow recognize the situation. Athleticism gives him elite upside as a coverage linebacker but technique work is needed.
Intangibles: JUCO transfer. Lots of character concerns, albeit somewhat vague ones. Has stayed out of trouble but there are plenty of “off the record” rumors swirling around him. Has a reputation—which TCU coaches have publicly spoken about—for thinking the rules don’t apply to him (showing up late, etc). Poor combine performance raises questions about his work ethic. His performance obviously didn’t match his on-field performance so it likely indicates a simple lack of preparation.
Durability: No known issues.
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Comments: Dawson is a frustrating prospect and a difficult one to grade. On the field, he has obvious athleticism and talent. He’s a sideline-to-sideline defender with elite closing speed. However, off-field concerns stemming primarily from a sense of entitlement and a questionable work ethic which showed up in the form of a terrible combine performance raises doubts about his NFL future. Additionally, he played in a simplistic defensive scheme at TCU which allowed for a lot of freelancing on his part—it led to big plays but also some bad mistakes. The upside is obviously there and he could earn some first-round grades, but he will be dropped on some boards and possibly removed from some also.
